He flew in Saturday morning, and the whole family went to pick him up at Long Beach airport, which is a tiny, time-warpish airport with only four small terminals, where you can sit at umbrella-shaded formica picnic tables and eat danishes while your loved one comes out at the one small baggage claim and can spot you right away. It’s an awesome little airport. Rene, Nate and I fed the birds until Chris came around the corner with Ricky, who was still wearing his flannel shirt and coat and “looking all Montana-ish,” according to Nathan.

He also looked a little tired — he had been up for 26 hours (because he’d finished his last final 26 hours ago, and then spent the afternoon packing and watching the last playoff game for his college team, but was afraid his friends, and his ride to the airport, would not wake up in time for the 4;30 a.m. trek). But he still managed to share a few stories and details before doing these five important things he’d been dying to do:

1. Driving in his car again.

2. Visiting the girl he missed most.

3. Visiting his group of friends from high school, who all got together that night.

4. Taking a nap on our couch.

5. Eating an In-N-Out burger.

Then it was off to our Sanchez family Christmas party a few hours later, where he got to have his uncle’s gumbo again and answer tons of questions from his uncles, nino, nina, cousins, etc.

(I think he caught up on some sleep Sunday morning.)

It’s good to have him home. It’ll be a fun five weeks. …